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NZ: Anti-Free Trade March April 5
31-Mar-2008 Scoop
The Prime Minister has left New Zealand on a trip which will include the signing of a free trade agreement with China in the second week of April. Global Peace and Justice Auckland and Unite Union are organising a protest march to take place shortly before the FTA is signed.
SA envoy clears mist on economic agreements
29-Mar-2008
Short-term benefits brought by Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) should not stand in the way of long term prosperity and integration of the SADC region, says South Africas High Commissioner to Botswana, Mr Dikgang Moopeloa.
Japan, ASEAN sign free trade accord
29-Mar-2008
Japan signed a free trade agreement Friday with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to promote trade and investment between the two sides.
’SADC Secretariat inertia worrisome’
29-Mar-2008
Southern African Development Community (SADC) chairperson, Levy Mwanawasa, has said member states and some international cooperating partners are dissatisfied with the SADC secretariat’s lack of capacity to absorb financial aid meant to help the regional body achieve its goals.
Trade ministers band together
29-Mar-2008
The Pacific ACP Trade Ministers from the region have agreed to proceed as a group with negotiations of a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with the European Commission by the end of the year.
Civil Society Vows to Stop EPA
29-Mar-2008
As the recently initialled interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) continues to take centre stage, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Africa have vowed to step up their stop-EPA campaign saying the pact has contentious issues.
Shift trade to SAARC region from slowing US, Govt to business
29-Mar-2008
The government today asked the country’s business houses to shift focus to the SAARC region and exploit the opportunities there, especially when the US and the European economies are slowing down.
Singapore says FTA with Taiwan possible, without politics
29-Mar-2008
Singapore Saturday expressed optimism about enhanced economic cooperation with Taiwan as long as issues involving trade are not politicised.
Canadian ambassador speaks of FTA benefits
28-Mar-2008
Joseph Caron, the Canadian ambassador to Japan, spoke about the great economic benefits which could be derived from a Free Trade Agreement between Japan and Canada during a seminar in Osaka on Friday.
Panamanian cabinet approves FTA with Guatemala
28-Mar-2008
Panama’s cabinet has approved the free trade agreement (FTA) between Panama and Guatemala signed on Feb. 26, Commerce and Industry Minister Alejandro Ferrer said Thursday.
Dunne boycotts China trade trip over Tibet
28-Mar-2008
United Future leader Peter Dunne has turned down a trip to China for the free trade deal signing to protest the treatment of Tibetan people.
Concern grows over global trade regulation
27-Mar-2008
Amid the noisy battering the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) is taking from both Democratic presidential hopefuls, one recent statement from Hillary Clinton was particularly resonant. "We will have a very clear view of how we’re going to review Nafta," the New York senator said. "We’re going to take out the ability of foreign companies to sue us because of what we do to protect our workers."
Venezuela will help Mercosur become continental block
27-Mar-2008
Mercosur with Venezuela included has “the potential of becoming a trade block of the whole of South America” said Brazilian Foreign Affairs minister Ceslo Amorim who also insisted that keeping out of the Washington inspired Free Trade Area of the Americas, FTAA, “has been positive”.
Greens warn against China FTA
27-Mar-2008
The Greens are citing past experience as a warning against the upcoming free trade deal with China.
Ramphal pleads for more equity in EPA
27-Mar-2008
Sir Shridath Ramphal yesterday made a strong plea to the European Union (EU) for "greater equity" in the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) being negotiated with the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries and, specifically, the one to be signed this coming June with the Caribbean Community and the Dominican Republic.
M’sia says no rush to forge FTA with US
27-Mar-2008 Straits Times
Malaysia’s new trade minister said on Thursday there was no rush to sign a free-trade deal which the United States hopes could be struck before President George W. Bush leaves office this year.
Will US trade policy again trump public health?
27-Mar-2008 Marinij
The Bay Area in California has been in an uproar over the proposed light brown apple moth program, which involves aerial spraying of an untested synthetic pheromone-based pesticide, because of quarantines invoked by Mexico and Canada under NAFTA.
Singapore not yet approached about FTA talks with Taiwan - government
27-Mar-2008 LSE
Singapore has noted Taiwan president-elect Ma Ying-jeou’s plans to resume talks for a free trade agreement with the city-state but said it has not been approached officially. Talks had started before 2000 but broke off under the administration of outgoing President Chen Shui-bian, partly under pressure from China and partly because of a dispute over how to refer to Taiwan.
UN to review rights report
27-Mar-2008 Gulf Daily News
Bahrain human rights activists will raise issues related to "unconstitutional" constituency boundaries at a key meeting with the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. They are joining another group of activists from GCC states, who will meet officials from the European Union Commission and European Parliament in Brussels. The GCC group will highlight their reservations on their governments’ approach to various human rights issues ahead of the signing of a Gulf-EU Free trade agreement.
Bangladesh/Malaysia FTA sought as pharma trade soars
27-Mar-2008 Pharma Times
With Malaysia and Bangladesh both forecasting sharp increases in their pharmaceutical exports, business groups are calling for the establishment of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two nations.